Gary Bossler hosted the 2001 AAPA Convention over the weekend
of Friday, August 10, through Sunday, August 12. The gathering
was held at the North Canton Holiday Inn at Belden Village, about
five minutes south of the Akron-Canton Regional Airport.
Linda Donaldson took electronic pictures during the convention.
72 of the photos are available for viewing.

Canton Convention 2001

by Marge Adams Petrone

Like long-parted friends or relatives, twenty-eight members
joyfully met and embraced as they welcomed each other during the
weekend of August 10-12 at The Holiday Inn at Belden Village in
Canton, Ohio. Nine guests also contributed to the happy
camaraderie as the organization celebrated its sixty-fifth
birthday.

Nine states were represented--with Ohio topping the list at
19. California, Illinois and Oregon each boasted three; Florida,
New York, Texas and West Virginia, two apiece; and Kentucky, one.

Congenial, smiling Gary Bossler, the 2001 convention chairman,
guided the twenty-one early arrivals on Thursday to the Hong King
Inn for the traditional Charlie Bush Chinese dinner. Back at the
hospitality room in the hotel with much animated conversation
going on, Gary made sure writers worked on the daily
computer-generated convention paper, Buckeye Press. The first
edition created by Gary was in the May bundle. Numbers 2, 3 and 4
were faithfully turned out each night.

The souvenir convention program created by Guy Miller sported
an attractive cover that represented 155 journals of present
members who have appeared in the monthly bundles between October
1990 and July 2001.

The schedule inside featured such activities as: informal
officer reports of those present, including COMP Coordinator Les
Boyer and ALERT Coordinator Bill Venrick; a forum on the subject
of censorship in the bundles, conducted by Les Boyer; a panel
discussion concerning welcoming and encouraging new
members--moderated by Len Carrick with Ken Rystrom and Bill
Venrick participating; and a Silk Screen demonstration by Jack
Scott with audience participation.

There was a choice of two activities on Friday mornng--with
one group choosing to have a tour of Lesh Typesetting Co., and the
other visiting the National Firest Ladies Library.

Members who wished congregated for a Fossils Luncheon on
Friday and a picnic on Sunday which was scheduled for poolside at
the Holiday Inn, but moved inside because of rain.

The ever-popular auction conducted by Sky Shipley with
assistance from Johanna made over $600 for the association.

The high point of the weekend is the annual banquet, this year
presided over by Guy Miller as master of ceremonies. With good
humor and aplomb, Guy interjected his commentary with several
readings of poetry by members, a sensitive addition to the
evening.

Banquet speaker was Lee Hawes, whose anniversary talk,
entitled: "Still Going Strong at 65," traced the beginnings of the
American Amateur Press Association, and the ways in which it has
changed through the years. Lee himself joined the association in
1942 when it was only five years old--and he was 12!

Laureate awards were announced by L. W. "Jiyani" Lawson,
representing (and the only member present) of the Laureate
Board. Gator Growl No. 100 was selected Best Overall
General Journal. The award for Best Letterpress Printed Journal
went to Dave Tribby for The Handset Journal, September
2000. The Best Non-Letterpress Printed Journal award went to John
Blalock for Tales of Oregon, August 2000.

Doug Prindle was the recipient of the laureate award for Best
Prose Fiction for his story, "Bill and Bimbo at the Bar,"
published by Len Carrick in his Shasta Ramblings No. 108,
November 2000. The Best Prose Non-Fiction selection was awarded to
Brian Boyer for "Baseball--Venezuelan Style" in Stargazer,
September 2000. Merry Harris won the award for Best Poem for her
"Unknown Poet" in Intimate Journey.

The Past Presidents Award for Outstanding New Journal during
2000-2001 went to Glenn and Shirley Simpson of The Cimmaron Ridge
Press for their journal, The Precipice.

Winners of the convention's limerick contest, judged by
J. Hill Hamon assisted by Fred Liddle, were Sky Shipley, first
place; Joe Gardner, second place; and Les Boyer, third place.
Honorable mention went to Jack Visser.

Before, after and in-between scheduled events, members
congregated in the hospitality room, which Host Gary kept stocked
with snacks. A lot of talking went on there, with members making
new friends and enjoying being with old friends who--even though
seen but once a year-- can feel so dear to one's heart. At the
farewells, people were already talking about next year's
convention!